Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Last Day

I promised to keep a tally of the things I would miss but the list was getting too long and my organizational skills have been pressed into packing duty so whatever lists I did make were not properly demarcated in proper categories. So now all I've got is a long soupy mess of things that will be missed, categorically:The tree out of my back porch that blooms some magenta colored flower--Erik thinks it's a blossoming plum. Perhaps.The white magnolia-like tree that last winter the freeze got the minute the flowers bloomed but this year, we got to appreciate the thick-with-cellulose almost-southern flower.The snow drops that were the first flower this year--bent over white noses kissing snow.The hyacinths that perfumed my runs.The tulips although I missed the Holland tulip festival yet again.The morels that I never found.The rhododendron, the dianthus, the hydrangea, the butterfly bush and the lavender we planted last year.The weird Dr. Seuss like trees that keep their purple blossoms tight to their many-direction pointing branches.The other deciduous trees whose names I know--larch, ash, birch, oak, maple but which I'm not 100% certain I'm applying to the proper tree. I come from the mountains where the trees are mostly pointy firred ones, aspens, or ones imported to the desert for their usefulness like honey locusts for their shade-giving or cherries for their fruit-bearing.The blueberries. Michigan is the highest producer of blueberries.The carrots.They also have an apple called Honeycrisp. Do you have these? They are the best apples in all the land.The asparagus.The hawks.The owls.The cardinals.Those little yellow flitting birds.The gigantic bumblebees.The fireflies.The water, the water, the water.The nights where it's light until almost eleven and because it's a little humid, it's still 75 degrees outside and our friends stay late and we sit on the back patio in the wrought iron chairs and wait for the raccoons and bats to show up.

I'm going on one last run through the college where I hope to see the owls but know I will see at least the geese and their goslings. I might see the frog and the turtle. And I'll definitely see some squirrels. Cleo will miss the squirrels.

Goodbye Michigan! I wish I'd stayed just a little bit longer. I'll try to come visit. Preferably in the spring.

You know, this is basically a poem, so on your way west, just cherish that fact.

And I add my voice to Dr. W. in saying that it will be good to have you nearer with the possibility of seeing you more. Michigan's loss is our gain, etc. Truly. (I know, your post is more about you losing Michigan, but just think of us and OUR needs, okay?)